PHOTOS

Yen Santos proves she has what it takes to be a teleserye leading lady

In her eight years in the show business, Yen Santos has already proven that she is indeed one of the talented stars of her generation because of her ability to keep pace with her seasoned co-actors.

With her beauty and exciting personality, the “Little Miss Sunshine of Nueva Ecija” won both a lot of hearts and snide remarks as one of the housemates of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Clash of 2010, the edition won by James Reid.

Even though she wasn’t able to score a spot on the Teen Big 6, her admirable attitude and promising acting prowess brought her to the immense stardom that was once just a farfetched dream for her.

Fresh from her PBB stint, the 17-year-old newbie then was hired to join the gregarious and talented ensemble of Shoutout!, a music reality variety show comprised of the hottest teen Kapamilya stars of that time.

Her first acting experience was in the 2011 teen-oriented show Good Vibes, playing the popular girl and dance troupe manager Ara Gonzales who was secretly infatuated with Sam Concepcion’s Marc Pedroza.

In her primetime debut Pablo S. Gomez’s Mutya, Yen had to take off her kikay nature as she personified the tomboyish character Melinda, whose siblings adopted the titular character.

She then went back doing teen-oriented dramas when she joined Growing Up as the reclusive Cassie Montenegro who, in the midst of pursuing the guy she liked, realized that some things would not turn out how she wanted those to be.

On her primetime comeback, she took on the role of the fashionable policewoman Michelle Alvarez in the family-centric fantasy drama Ikaw Ay Pag-ibig.

The 25-year-old actress got a bit daring when she played the endearing yet bratty girlfriend of Martin del Rosario’s Sev Monzon, Samantha Diño, in the Precious Hearts Romances Presents: Pintada.

It was succeeded by her special participation in the television remake of the 1983 film of the same title Dugong Buhay, as the young version of Sunshine Cruz’ character Isabel de Lara.

Yen’s biggest break came when she was chosen to top-bill Pure Love, the Filipino adaptation of the Koreanovela 49 Days. Her incredible portrayals of Ysabel Espiritu and Danica Santos absolutely astounded the viewers and cemented her status as one of the up-and-coming premier actresses in the industry.

Before she finished filming for the drama, another project was dropped on her shoulders for she was tasked to join Dream Dad as Maribeth “Bebet” Morales, her first-ever role as a mother.

In 2015, she was the biggest revelation in the daytime series Oh My G!, as her character Sister Marie Paul Cepeda turned out to the estranged sister Janella Salvador’s Sophie Cepeda had been searching for.

Yen headlined another soap opera via All Of Me, where she had the chance to act opposite veteran actor Albert Martinez and seasoned thespian JM de Guzman as their leading lady Lena Dimaculangan.

The first time she worked with ultimate heartthrob and her Halik co-actor Jericho Rosales was in the 2016 romantic drama Magpahanggang Wakas wherein she played Issa, a good friend of his character Waldo.

Probably one of her most remarkable appearances on teleseryes would be Wildflower, as she portrayed Ana, one of the childhood friends and trustworthy allies of the main protagonist Lily Cruz-slash-Ivy Aguas (Maja Salvador).

From serious and love-themed dramas, Yen joined the cast of Dok Ricky Pedia, the weekend morning sitcom and TV commentary series co-produced by ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation and National Nutrition Council, which seems to be a breather for her. She takes on the role of the admirable Teacher Julia and the love interest of the titular character depicted by Dominic Ochoa.

And starting August 13, Yen is back on the primetime block as she is set to showcase the bolder and fiercer side of her as Jacky Montefalco, the doting wife of Ace Corpuz (Sam Milby) whose love and loyalty to her husband will be tested by lust and temptation in the upcoming romance drama Halik.